FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of component architecture of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Evolved Packet System (EPS), and in an EPS network architecture in a non-roaming scenario shown in FIG. 1, an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Serving Gateway (S-GW), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW, also called as PDN GW), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) entity and other support nodes are included.
Wherein, a PCRF is a core of Policy and Charging Control (PCC) and is responsible for making PCC rules. The PCRF provides network control rules based on service data flow, these network controls include detection of service data flow, gating control, Quality of Service (QoS) control and charging rules based on data flow and so on. The PCRF sends the PCC rules made by the PCRF to a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) to execute, meanwhile, the PCRF is also required to guarantee that these rules are consistent with user subscription information. A basis for the PCRF making the PCC rules includes: acquiring information related to services from an Application Function (AF); acquiring user PCC subscription information from a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR); and acquiring network information related to bearer from the PCEF.
The EPS supports an interconnection between the EPS and a non-3GPP system, the interconnection between the EPS and the non-3GPP system is implemented through interfaces S2a/b/c, and the P-GW serves as an anchor between the 3GPP system and the non-3GPP system. As shown in FIG. 1, the non-3GPP system is divided into a trusted non-3GPP IP access and an untrusted non-3GPP IP access. The trusted non-3GPP IP access can be connected to the P-GW directly through an interface S2a; the untrusted non-3GPP IP is required to connect to the P-GW through an Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG), an interface between the ePDG and the P-GW is an interface S2b, and an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is adopted to perform encipherment protection on signalings and data between a User Equipment (UE) and the ePDG. An interface S2c provides control and mobility support related to a user plane between the User Equipment (UE) and the P-GW, and a mobility management protocol supported by the interface S2c is a Mobile IPv6 support for dual stack Hosts and Routers (DSMIPv6).
Currently, many operators pay attention to the Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) and conduct research with respect to the 3GPP and Broadband Forum (BBF) interconnection. With regard to a scenario of a user accessing a mobile core network through a BBF, it is required to guarantee the QoS on the entire transmission path of the data (the data will be transmitted through a fixed network and a mobile network). Currently, an interaction is performed through the PCRF and a Broadband Policy Control Framework (BPCF) in the BBF access to guarantee the QoS. The BPCF is a policy control framework in the BBF access, and for resource request message of the PCRF, the BPCF performs resource admission control or schedules the resource request message to other network elements (e.g. a Broadband Network Gateway (BNG)) of a BBF access network according to network policies and subscription information and so on of the BBF access, and the other network elements execute the resource admission control (i.e. entrusting the other network elements to execute the resource admission control). For example, when the UE accesses a 3GPP core network through a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), in order to guarantee that a total bandwidth demand of all UE access services accessing through a WLAN access line does not exceed a bandwidth of the line (e.g. a subscription bandwidth or a maximum physical agent supported by the line), the PCRF is required to interact with the BPCF when performing QoS authorization, so that the BBF access network executes the resource admission control.
At present, the study of the 3GPP and BBF interconnection mainly includes two aspects: a scenario of the 3GPP UE accessing an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) through the WLAN of the BBF and a scenario of the 3GPP UE accessing the 3GPP core network through a home evolved Node-B (H(e)NB), wherein the H(e)NB takes the BBF access network as a routing path (Backhaul) to connect to the 3GPP core network.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the 3GPP UE accessing the 3GPP core network through the WLAN, and as shown in FIG. 2, the BBF access network is taken as an untrusted non-3GPP access. Based on the architecture shown in FIG. 2, there are 3 ways for initiating a policy interconnection session (i.e. S9*) establishment at present.
In way 1, after the UE accesses the BBF access network, a Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS)/Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) will execute an access authentication based on the 3GPP, and meanwhile, the BPCF of the BBF initiates an S9* session actively to interact with the PCRF of the 3GPP. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
In way 2, when the UE accesses the BBF access network, the access authentication based on the 3GPP is not executed. After the UE interacts with the ePDG to establish an IPSec tunnel, the ePDG sends a local address of the UE (i.e. an address allocated by the BBF access network to the UE) to the P-GW, the P-GW then sends the local address of the UE to the PCRF, and after determining the BPCF according to the local address of the UE, the PCRF reversely initiates an S9* session establishment to perform an interaction with the BPCF. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
In way 3, when the UE accesses the BBF access network, the access authentication based on the 3GPP is not executed. After the UE interacts with the ePDG to establish an IPSec tunnel, the ePDG directly sends a local address of the UE (i.e. an address allocated by the BBF access network to the UE) to the PCRF, and after determining the BPCF according to the local address of the UE, the PCRF reversely initiates an S9* session establishment to perform an interaction with the BPCF. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
If the UE requires the network to allocate resources to the UE when the UE performs service access, the PCRF firstly sends QoS information of the made PCC rules to the BPCF, so that the BBF access network executes the admission control. Then, the PCRF sends a PCC rule accepted by the BBF access network to the PCEF. The PCEF performs Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) marking on a header of an IP packet of a corresponding data flow (called as an internal packet header) according to the PCC rule, when the IP packets of the service data flow reach the ePDG, the ePDG will perform IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet and perform marking on a header of an IP packet of IPSec (called as an outer packet header) according to a DSCP of the header of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. Therefore, the BBF access network can perform data packet scheduling according to a DSCP of the header of the IP packet of the IPSec.
However, a premise of the above scheme is that the 3GPP network supports an interconnection between the 3GPP network and the BBF, when the PCRF does not support an interconnection between the PCRF and the BBF (including a scenario that PCC is not deployed in the 3GPP network), the PCRF will not interact with the BPCF to request the admission control. Thus it will cause that the PCC rules sent by the PCRF to the PCEF are results which are decided according to the PCRF itself. The PCEF performs DSCP marking on headers of IP packets of service data flows according to the PCC rules sent by the PCRF or policies locally configured by the PCEF (with respect to a scenario that PCC is not deployed in the 3GPP network). When these service data flows reach the ePDG, the ePDG replicates the DSCP of the outer packet header of the IPSec according to the DSCP marks of the internal packet header. If these data reach the BBF access network, the BBF access network will not distinguish whether these service data flows go through the admission control of the BBF access network, but only perform dispatching according to the DSCP. Thus, these service data flows without going through the admission control will occupy resources of other service data flows going through the admission control, which leads to a failure of the entire FMC policy control mechanism currently.
When the UE accesses the 3GPP through an untrusted non-BBF access network by using a DSMIPv6 protocol, there are 2 ways for initiating a policy interconnection session (i.e. S9*) establishment at present.
In way 1, after the UE accesses the BBF access network, the BRAS/BNG will execute an access authentication based on the 3GPP, and meanwhile, the BPCF of the BBF initiates an S9* session actively to interact with the PCRF of the 3GPP. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
In way 2, when the UE accesses the BBF access network, the access authentication based on the 3GPP is not executed. After the UE interacts with the ePDG to establish an IPSec tunnel, the ePDG directly sends a local address of the UE (i.e. an address allocated by the BBF access network to the UE) to the PCRF, and after determining the BPCF according to the local address of the UE, the PCRF reversely initiates an S9* session establishment to perform an interaction with the BPCF. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
If the UE requires the network to allocate resources to the UE when the UE performs service access, the PCRF firstly sends QoS information of the made PCC rules to the BPCF, so that the BBF access network executes the admission control. Then, the PCRF sends a PCC rule accepted by the BBF access network to the PCEF. The PCEF performs DSCP marking on a header of an IP packet of a corresponding data flow (called as an internal packet header) according to the PCC rule, when the IP packets of the service data flow reach the ePDG, the ePDG will perform IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet and perform marking on a header of an IP packet of an IPSec (called as an outer packet header) according to a DSCP of the header of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. Therefore, the BBF access network can perform data packet scheduling according to a DSCP of the header of the IP packet of the IPSec.
Similarly, a premise of the above scheme is that the 3GPP network supports an interconnection between the 3GPP network and the BBF, when the PCRF does not support an interconnection between the PCRF and the BBF (including a scenario that PCC is not deployed in the 3GPP network), the PCRF will not interact with the BPCF to request the admission control. The service data flows without going through the admission control will occupy resources of other service data flows going through the admission control, which leads to a failure of the entire FMC policy control mechanism currently.
When the UE accesses the 3GPP through a trusted non-BBF access network by using a DSMIPv6 protocol, there are also 2 ways for initiating a policy interconnection session (i.e. S9*) establishment in the related art.
In way 1, after the UE accesses the BBF access network, the BRAS/BNG will execute an access authentication based on the 3GPP, and meanwhile, the BPCF of the BBF initiates an S9* session actively to interact with the PCRF of the 3GPP. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
In way 2, when the UE accesses the BBF access network, the access authentication based on the 3GPP is not executed. After the UE interacts with the P-GW to establish an IPSec security association, the P-GW directly sends a local address of the UE (i.e. an address allocated by the BBF access network to the UE) to the PCRF, and after determining the BPCF according to the local address of the UE, the PCRF reversely initiates an S9* session establishment to perform an interaction with the BPCF. Therefore, the PCRF can interact with the BPCF when performing the QoS authorization, and the BPCF executes the resource admission control or entrusts other network elements to execute the resource admission control.
If the UE requires the network to allocate resources to the UE when the UE performs service access, the PCRF firstly sends QoS information of the made PCC rules to the BPCF, so that the BBF access network executes the admission control. Then, the PCRF sends a PCC rule accepted by the BBF access network to the PCEF. The PCEF performs DSCP marking on a header of an IP packet of a corresponding data flow according to the PCC rule. When the IP packets of the service data flow reach the BBF access network, the BBF access network can perform data packet scheduling according to the DSCP of the header of the IP packet.
Similarly, a premise of the above scheme is that the 3GPP network supports an interconnection between the 3GPP network and the BBF, when the PCRF does not support an interconnection between the PCRF and the BBF (including a scenario that PCC is not deployed in the 3GPP network), the PCRF will not interact with the BPCF to request the admission control. The service data flows without going through the admission control will occupy resources of other service data flows going through the admission control, which leads to a failure of the entire FMC policy control mechanism currently.
FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are schematic diagrams of architectures of the 3GPP UE accessing the 3GPP core network through an H(e)NB, wherein the H(e)NB takes the BBF access network as a Backhaul to be connected to the 3GPP core network. In the architecture of FIG. 3, the PCRF is directly interfaced with the BPCF, when the PCRF performs the QoS authorization, the PCRF firstly interacts with the BPCF, after the BBF access network performs the admission control successfully, the PCRF sends the PCC rules and QoS rules (if required) to the PCEF and a Bearing Binding and Event Report Function (BBERF) (if exists) respectively, the PCEF and the BBERF perform DSCP marking on downlink data of a service data flow according to the PCC rules and QoS rules, and when the service data flow reaches a Security Gateway (SeGW), the SeGW will perform IPSec encapsulation on an IP packet and perform marking on a header of an IP packet of the IPSec (called as an outer packet header) according to a DSCP of the IP packet (i.e. an internal packet header) during the encapsulation. Therefore, the BBF access network can perform data packet scheduling according to the DSCP of the header of the IP packet of the IPSec. With regard to uplink data, the H(e)NB performs IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet and performs marking on the header of the IP packet of the IPSec (called as the outer packet header) according to the DSCP of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. In the architectures of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a function entity of H(e)NB Policy Function (H(e)NB PF) is introduced, when an H(e)NB GW (FIG. 4) or an H(e)NB (FIG. 5) receives a bearer establishment request or a bearer modification request from the 3GPP core network (the establishment or modification of the bearer is initiated after the PCEF or BBERF performs bearing binding according to the PCC rules or QoS rules of the PCRF, or is initiated after the P-GW or S-GW performs bearing binding according to the local policies), the H(e)NB GW or the H(e)NB requests the BBF access network for the admission control through the H(e)NB PF. After an admission control response success of the BBF access network is received, the H(e)NB GW can continue to complete a bearer establishment flow or a bearer modification flow. Then, the PCEF and the BBERF perform DSCP marking according to the PCC rules and QoS rules, and when the downlink data of the service data flow reach the SeGW, the SeGW will perform IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet and perform marking on the header of the IP packet of the IPSec (called as the outer packet header) according to the DSCP of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. With regard to the uplink data, the H(e)NB performs IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet and performs marking on the header of the IP packet of the IPSec (called as the outer packet header) according to the DSCP of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. Therefore, the BBF access network can perform data packet scheduling according to the DSCP of the header of the IP packet of the IPSec.
However, the premise of the three architecture schemes is that the 3GPP network also supports an interconnection between the 3GPP network and the BBF (FIG. 3 is for an interconnection between the PCRF and the BPCF, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are for an interconnection between the H(e)NB PF and the BPCF), with regard to FIG. 3, when the PCRF does not support an interconnection between the PCRF and the BBF, the PCRF will not interact with the BPCF to request the admission control. Thus it will cause that the PCC rules sent by the PCRF to the PCEF are results which are decided according to the PCRF itself. The PCEF performs DSCP marking on headers of downlink IP packets of service data flows according to the PCC rules sent by the PCRF. When these service data flows reach the SeGW, the SeGW replicates the DSCP of the outer packet header of the IPSec according to the DSCP marks of the internal packet header. If these data reach the BBF access network, the BBF access network will not distinguish whether these service data flows go through the admission control of the BBF access network, but only perform dispatching according to the DSCP. With regard to uplink data flows, the H(e)NB similarly performs IPSec encapsulation on the IP packet of uplink data and performs marking on the header of the IP packet of the IPSec (called as the outer packet header) according to the DSCP of the IP packet (i.e. the internal packet header) during the encapsulation. Thus, these service data flows without going through the admission control will occupy resources of other service data flows going through the admission control, which leads to a failure of the entire FMC policy control mechanism currently.
If we consider a scenario that the 3GPP UE and the fixed network entity of BBF exist eternally, those service data flows of the fixed network entity without going through the admission control also may occupy resources of service data flows of the 3GPP UE going through the admission control.